ABSTRACT

The title of this study is analysis of women access to credit in Ahiazu Mbaise L. G.A Imo State. The specific objectives are to identify the socioeconomic characterizes of women in Ahiazu Mbaise L. G.A, and their level of access to credit, as well as the factors that influences their level of access to credit, including their utilization of these credit and the problems they encounter in obtaining credit. To achieve these, a total of 60 women were randomly selected in the study area by means of structured questionnaires. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis, finding revealed that majority of the women (41.8%) were within active productive age between 31-40years, mostly without formal education (56.7%) and married (51.7%). Also, most of the women engaged in farming either as a full or part time farmers. Similarly few women had access to credit facilities it also revealed that value of assets, farm income were positively related to the level of women access to credit, while farm size was negatively related to the level of women access to credit. The problem adduced by the women farmers were discrimination against them and lack of affordable collateral as well as delay in loan approval/late arrival of loans. The study recommend that government should adopt policies that would encourage the formal credit institutions to grant loans to women for agricultural production. It also recommend that women farmers should be encouraged to form cooperative societies in order to enhance their access to credit.